Coyotes' Ryan Dzingel, Sharks' Rudolfs Balcers enter COVID protocol

The Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks have both made several updates to their COVID protocol list as they prepare for action Wednesday and Thursday

For the Coyotes, Ryan Dzingel has joined Antoine Roussel in the protocol and is unavailable for Wednesday night’s game. A player that has seemingly disappeared entirely the last few years, Dzingel has just four goals and six points in 20 games for the Coyotes in 2021-22. A two-time 20+ goal scorer, he has just 12 goals and 19 points since the start of the 2020-21 campaign and now will have to miss at least three games with this latest absence.

Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports some good news on the Coyotes’ side, though, as Jakob Chychrun is expected to play for the first time since Dec. 10. The young defenseman is the subject of much trade speculation, and getting back into game action will only help the Coyotes’ leverage in any negotiation.

For San Jose, it’s a bit of good news and a bit of bad news. The team has activated Alexander Barabanov from the COVID protocol, but replaced him with Rudofs Balcers, who is now unavailable. San Jose recalled Joachim Blichfeld and Adam Raska from the AHL in the meantime.

Balcers, 24, had scored in each of his last two games and now has four goals and 12 points in 27 games for the Sharks this season. Signed to a two-year deal in the offseason that carries a $1.55M cap hit, his year has been broken up by injuries and illnesses that have limited his playing time. Now he’ll be forced out of the lineup for at least two games.